Hozat Apricot Kernel: Pomological and Physicochemical Properties with Comparation of Apricot Kernel Varieties Harvested in Turkiye

Abstract

Apricot is a fruit demanded and consumed in a variety of ways by consumers. Apricot fruit has a kernel inside of it. Due to limited knowledge of bioactive compounds, apricot kernels were predicted as a food waste in the past, and they had no economic value. Awareness as to nutrition and bioactive compounds increased recently, the idea has emerged that apricot kernel is as healthy as its fruit, therefore science research has focused on examining bioactive properties of fruit kernels. In this study, sweet and bitter apricot kernel varieties harvested in 2022 were used. The sweet apricot kernel varieties used in this study were Hasanbey (Malatya), Savak (Igdir), Alyanak (Isparta) and Hozat sweet; the bitter apricot kernel varieties were Hozat bitter and Zerdali (Malatya). Pomological and physicochemical properties of Hozat apricot kernels, compared with other apricot kernels harvested in Turkiye, were performed. As pomological properties, weight of seed, weight of kernel and seed-to-kernel weight ratio were investigated. Moisture content, ash content, acidity (pH), protein content, oil content and total phenolic content of apricot kernels were also determined. The effect of the variety variable on pomological and physicochemical properties of the apricot kernel were evaluated using the SPSS 29 program. Overall, it was found that the variety variable had a significant effect on pomological and physicochemical properties of apricot kernels. It means each apricot kernel variety has its unique pomological and physicochemical properties.